Chapter 3 #2
“Yep, and he earned one hell of a bonus.” Monica pursed her lips, her gaze flicking to her to-go bag as it was delivered.
“I still can’t believe he just kicked me out.
A year of my life wasted. You hear that, honey?
” she called over to Ophelia. “Stay far away. You’re just his type and fresh meat to boot.
If Gideon Sperry so much as smirks at you, run in the other direction.
His abs and that chiseled jaw of his aren’t worth it, trust me.
Guaranteed, the sack of shit’ll break your heart, then forget you existed, along with everyone else he’s left in his wake. ”
Oh, Deo… Ophelia set her chopsticks aside, her appetite gone. That wasn’t anything like the man she remembered. What the hell had she done?
“Can we get the rest to go?” Liam asked the chef. “I have to get back for the kids.”
Ophelia swallowed her scowl, equal parts grateful and irritated at him giving her an out.
“Oh my God, of course. I’m sorry to dump all that on you, but it’s been forever, and I missed you!
” Monica wrapped her arms around him, and Ophelia felt him stiffen two seats over.
He woodenly patted Monica’s shoulder, and she stood, beaming.
“I won’t keep you any longer. Now that I know you’re back, we are so doing this again! ”
“Yeah, sure.” He raised a hand in farewell and puffed out his cheeks as she minced from the restaurant with her takeout.
“Bet you’re sorry you came now, aren’t ’cha?” Ophelia asked from behind the rim of her cup, her brow cocked, and trying to play off everything the woman had just word vomited.
Liam shrugged, dipping his napkin in water to scrub at the lipstick on his cheek. “I knew I’d run into people, but yeah, Monica’s always been a lot. You okay?”
Ophelia poured the rest of her sake, shaking out the last few drops. “Why wouldn’t I be?” And fuck him for asking.
He shook his head. “Just checking in.”
“What’s that? You’re paying the check? Thanks, champ. Grab my bags, too. I’ll meet you outside in ten after I powder my nose.” She downed her drink and swept up her purse, heading to the little girl’s room.
The door clicked shut behind her, and she leaned against it, her emotions running riot. Ophelia closed her eyes, raising a trembling hand to her lips. If Gideon was working for the Court, they’d know exactly where to find her. She wasn’t safe here.
Ghandi, she wasn’t safe anywhere.
Gideon raged through his apartment, upsetting tables and sending a chair through his eighty-six inch flatscreen. His wings unfurled as he roared his fury, fangs descending, and tail thrashing, his suit in tattered ribbons across the floor.
His mind churned over the past hour in chambers, dissecting it and splaying out for interpretation.
Nothing about Ophelia’s demeanor sat right.
It had been years, yes, but a cheetah couldn’t change its spots.
Not to that degree. The blasted woman had seemed almost contrite.
There was none of the haughty disdain, not even a shadow of the sly brat he’d taken such pleasure in disciplining.
He closed his eyes and stood panting.
Gods, Ophelia.
Gideon raked a hand through his hair. What had happened to her? He couldn’t let this go. He needed to see her again. To figure out what game she was playing.
Why she was there.
The way she’d paled when he’d entered the room. She’d had no idea he was involved with the case. But if she hadn’t come to turn his life upside down, then why? Why represent Havers-by-the-blighted-Sea?
His phone chirped from the other room, and he ran a granite hand over his face, getting control of himself.
Ever so slowly, mottled gray stone became pink flesh, his wings folding against his back and disappearing.
He ripped a pair of sweats and a tee from the splintered remains of his dresser and pulled them on.
His phone chirped again. Goddamn it. There was only one person on the planet ballsy enough to be that persistent with him, and she was the last person he wanted to talk to right now.
Unfortunately, his wants counted for very little where the vampire queen was concerned.
He stormed into the living room and tossed aside the ruin of his couch to find the damned device. “Sperry,” he growled, answering it.
“You were supposed to report in after the initial status conference,” a velvety female voice purred at him. “Do I need to remind of our extreme interest in this case?”
The small hairs rose on Gideon’s nape. It wasn’t often that Vesper called, and when she did, it never boded well. “No. I’m well aware, and it went fine. There was a small complication, but I’m handling it.” Poorly, but she didn’t need to know that.
“A complication?”
He raked a hand over his jaw before settling on a half-truth. “The defense added Liam Montgomery to their team. It sounds like they’re going to lean into the arcane aspect of the case. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Mmm. Unsurprising, given his connection to the town. And the lead for the defense?”
Gideon frowned, his gaze drifting to the destruction surrounding him. Their lead? She was pure chaos, and he was being drawn right back into it. “Ophelia Diamondé.”
The silence on the other end of the line was so complete, he thought he’d lost the connection.
“Hello?”
A pause. “We’ll be in touch.”
The line went dead.
What was that about? Gideon jammed the phone into his pocket.
It didn’t matter. He couldn’t stay here, he’d go mad.
He kicked through the splintered remains of his coffee table.
Christ, he’d already gone mad. He laughed at the rapid thud of his heart, his pulse pounding in his ears, the dam on his emotions well and truly broken for the first time in over a decade.
He breathed in his rage, savoring it as he grabbed his keys.
Ophelia would be on her way back to Havers, and once he cornered her on that squalid little peninsula, there would be nowhere for her to run.